The First Hero
by Luna-of-Black-Roses
Summary: It's Shade's adventure with Midna. He saves Hyrule in his memories while teaching Link how to become the new Hero, and in the end he finally accepts that he's dead. Just say that it's his life as a different variation of Link with his own personal name and he has to teach the new Hero (A.K.A. Twilight Princess Link) how to actually be the Hero. -Discontinued-
1. Prologue

**A/N: This is a fanfiction of TLoZ Twilight Princess so I do NOT own any of Nintendo's characters. I wrote this before his identity was revealed, so I believed Hero's Shade was merely a predecessor of Link, yet I didn't think he was Ocarina of Time Link. I thought he was someone in between TP and OoT Link. So I wrote him a fanfiction as someone completely different. So, despite that he is the main character in here; he IS NOT OCARINA OF TIME LINK! Just...just read it. You'll figure it out.**

 _The First Hero_

Prologue

It was the start of another beautiful day. The sun had ridden high in the sky, and was smiling down upon the land, blessing farmers with the heat of spring after a long, cold winter. The grass had begun to turn green some time ago, but now, the colors seemed to shine ever brightly. The trees were swaying gently in the wind, as if dancing to the soft voice of the breeze. Water trickled through a stream, gurgling to the croaking frogs. Fish jumped up out of the water, catching flies and dragonflies in their yawning mouth, before returning to the water to savor their lunch.

Birds chirped in the branches of the trees, carrying twigs and straw from off the ground to build a nest for when it was truly time for them to birth their young ones. The sound of bustling people rose to my tower. I watched outside with intense fascination, as to see how nature worked its wonders. I rested my chin in my palm and rested my elbow on the arm of my chair, wonder-ing if I could go outside.

It seemed so inviting, the outside air. The breeze called out to me, as though it were telling me to relax, and let go of my worries. I was pondering whether anyone would notice if I left the castle. I stood up in my room, walking gracefully to the door. I glanced behind me, to the window. It was made of stained glass, with wood binding it together and forming swirling patterns. The window was the size of a large door, and it was able to be opened. It led to the balcony, which had high, polished, brown wooden railing that came up to my waistline.

Inside my room, I had three chairs. One to stare out the window while it rained. One to sit at my desk and write. And one to just relax in or use to accommodate a guest. All three were of the same design; a high back that rose up and stopped just as it reached the pointed bone in my head. It had a soft red cushion on the top so I didn't hurt my head laying on it. The back was basically a lot of curled branches that formed the insignia of the castle. A large bird with open wings and tail with outstretched talons had been carved as an outline and plastered over the Triforce. The Triforce was two triangles joined by their corners, supporting one other triangle balanced perfectly on the top.

The legs of the chair were also dark brown and made of wood that had been stained and waxed. The cushion was of royal fabric, red and velvety. It was very soft, and I admired the fact that these had been made specifically for me, modified to fit my tall figure. My desk was carved from the same wood the chair legs had been taken from. It consisted only of a top and one single drawer. I didn't have very many things atop it; just an inkpot, feather quill, a stack of paper, and a large map I was currently drawing.

My "wardrobe", if that's what I could call it, was more of a walk-in closet. It supported two wooden doors that were fitted with glass pieces, and the bird-Triforce design was made of wood on each of them. The wardrobe had a curtain I could pull back while I stood in the closet and dressed myself. I knew that if I stepped in my closet, I would be able to reach my arms out and have to stretch to obtain my clothes from the entrance.

Because of the glass windows and the consequential fact that I hadn't pulled the curtains to a close, I could easily see the clothes my wardrobe/closet consisted of. Three shelves bore neatly folded stacks of clothes. Some were undergarments for when I wore my armor, and others were casual outfits I wore when I went out. My long heavy sword and circular polished shield were neatly placed inside my wardrobe. I decided I might need those and I stole back to my closet. I gently strapped myself in my armor and slid my sword and shield onto the belt I wore around my shoulder.

I looked over to the other side of my room, where a hearth fire blazed brightly. I had been keeping it well stoked, not just because I wanted to draw heat from it at night, but so I could have some comfort being alone in my tower. The crackling of the flames eating through the logs soothed me, though I wasn't sure why. I knew the flames would bring ruin, despair, and chaos if they escaped the hearth and burned out of control, but I also knew they brought warmth and an aura of peace I couldn't even begin to explain.

I looked to the wall slightly left of the fenced-in hearth and saw my reflection. I was terrified of it now, my reflection that was. It brought back bitter memories, but I always had the urge to keep the mirror. After all, who should be scared of seeing their own face? With a shudder, I remembered that I had good reason to fear not only my image, but also my shadow. Other than the horrible memories I had of it, the mirror was great. It was tall and elliptical, and had been trimmed with steel. Covered in a protective coating, the mirror was supposed to be shielded from the elements, no matter how old it got, which was amazing.

Also, I had doodled on it with silver ink, marking the Triforce in a series of strange bands I'd seen in a dream. Also, I had even marked it with little squares and parallelograms. The mirror I had seen in my dream and had taken the design from was circular, but I didn't care. I just used what I had. Also, the other mirror was thicker, by an inch at least, and the backing was covered in either stone or metal, I wasn't certain. It had been aimed at the sky, as if catching the light from the heavens and was ready to reflect it upon a solid black rock I had seen in my dream.

Deciding not to spend any more time staring at my reflection, for fear it was going to peel itself out of the mirror and attack me, I headed for the exit. Part of me longed to go back in my room, like I was never going to see it again, but I denied the urge. I closed the door to my room and left it unlocked. If something bad did happen today, I wanted the king to see the world map I had drawn from memory and put it to good use.

I also wanted people to see the view I saw every day, even if they themselves had seen it before. I at least wanted them to know what I loved to do all day. I wanted them to see the letters I wrote, but kept in my desk instead of delivering them to my beloved. And, probably the most important thing, the doodles in the mirror. I knew they were special, but I wasn't sure why. If people opened up my drawer and saw my original mirror sketch, maybe they would understand it. I was certain the drawings would be in good hands, especially if it were the king who received them.

I turned to face the corridor that stretched out in front of me, yawning wide like the jaws of a lion. Small tables boasted candlesticks of marvelous design, with twisted metal cords branching off to the sides and upholding unlit candle wicks. Swords and shields from fallen heroes were mounted to the wall, not as mockery, but respect and a way to tell people; _this person died to defend this castle. They were not weak, but strong, brave, and duty-bound. It is here that we shall remember their name_.

The names of the fallen soldier were engraved on the shining shield, but if the shield hadn't been, or was unable to be recovered, then the name was branded on the blade of the sword. Some fallen heroes didn't even have a sword or shield, so they were given a banner. Unfortunately, too many soldiers had fallen, so only the bravest got the right to have their weapons here.

 _I hope that, when I die, my sword and shield will be on that wall,_ I thought. I passed through the corridor and only saw a few people on my way to the garden. They waved to me in greeting. Giving a simple smile, I waved back, and continued heading for the gardens. I reached them a short time later and I collapsed in the center of a patch of bright pink flowers. I closed my eyes, ready to relax, when I heard someone giggling. I opened up my left eye and focused on her, wondering who it was.

She was wearing a long pink dress the color of the flowers and a long stretch of cloth covered the front of it. It was almost like the tapestries, and it depicted the multitude of insignias the kingdom had come to have over the centuries. Her dress had lighter pink trim at the bottom and covered the fact that she was wearing pink high-heels, but with how she was sitting in the flower patch, the dress didn't cover her bright shoes. Her white socks came up to her shins and also had lace trim around the top, though I wasn't sure why. Who was going to see them with that long dress?

The shoulders of her dress were of solid gold, with little designs I couldn't quite make out from such a distance. I could see little blue jewels sparkling in the shoulders however, and they gleamed in the sunlight. She wore a ruby necklace that had white-gold chain links. Her crown also had a single, large blue stone in it also, and it was on a gold-plated surface, that connected to smaller leaf-shaped gold pieces. The crown disappeared behind her long pointy ears, but the jewels rings in her ears also drew attention to her complex.

Her blue eyes sparkled in the sunlight, framed behind circular glasses, but her beauty was not denounced by her eye-wear. Her hair was decorated with the flowers, but these were made of gems, not petals. Her light-brown hair was pulled back into a braid, falling down into the grass, and the only hair that escaped the braid were the two thick pieces clasped in front of her ears, and one strand near her hairline that wasn't long enough to be pulled into the plait. She smiled, making the outside seem even friendlier.

"Aren't you a little old to be sleeping in my gardens?" she asked with another small chuckle. She raised her hand to her mouth and touched her lower lip with her index finger's knuckle, revealing her ring and long silk gloves that came all the way to her elbows.

"I will answer your question according to that which you desire me to speak, Your Highness," I responded with a hint of playfulness. I knew Her Majesty wasn't too caring about such matters. If given the option, she would chose to stay here, tending to her garden, and leave politics and treaties up to her husband. Judging by the fact that the flowers were blooming so early, and that the plants showed no sign of frostbite, I'd say she'd done a pretty good job of taking care of it already.

"My, my," she spoke in her gentle voice. "If I didn't know better, I'd think you were trying to learn to speak like a noble, Mister Knight. So, why are you here in my little utopia?"

"You are never too old to come outside and smell the flowers. My room just didn't seem like the best place to receive such a glorious day, Your Highness," I voiced.

She laughed this time, fully, and it was a wonderful sound. It made me feel happy, like the snow had finally given way to the flowers, or that evil had been vanquished, and people could all live in peace. This was why I loved my home, Hyrule Castle. Even though the king, my closest friend was waging war with the Gerudos, I was peaceful here. I got to meet so many nice people, most of them soldiers, who, like I, were ready to defend the Royal Family and the castle, even if it cost us our very lives.

I figured since the king was trying to hold off the gorons and zoras from attacking him, so that he could fight the Gerudos without much interruption, he probably was going to need my world map. I was half-tempted to run back to my room and fetch it for him, and then start consulting him based upon the ideas of treaties I was certain I could write. I was also willing to go to the gorons and zoras in person, asking them to aid us in the fight. If they wouldn't help the king, then I would visit the Ordonians and Kakarikoites. The least I could do if I was sent would be to persuade them from joining the Gerudos.

"What ails you?" the Queen of Hyrule asked me as she noticed my troubled face. "Are you...upset with me? Do you know something I don't?"

I nodded and got to my feet, bowed, and then rose again. "I believe I can help the king end this war swiftly. I need him to see my map of Hyrule. Perhaps if he understands the landscape he can know what sides to block from attack. If you accompany me to my room, I can show you."

The Queen of Hyrule was overly-trusting of me. I half-expected her to ask me to explain how the map could help us win faster, but she merely held out her hand, as if asking me to lift her. I reached out and firmly took it, hoisting her to her feet. I started to say something when an arrow whizzed by my head and barely missed Her Highness.

I was a well-trained knight, and I remembered my teachings from seven years ago. I pulled Her Highness close to my right, protecting her with my shield. I wasn't as concerned for myself as I was her, after all, I had armor, and she didn't. As an added bonus to my skill as a soldier, I knew I was supposed to protect the Royal Family from anything and everything that wished harm upon them.

The Queen did not struggle in my arms. Instead, she pressed herself closer to my side, knowing that I had a better chance of protecting her if she stayed close to me. I turned to see who had fired such a deathly arrow, and I saw _him_. The King of the Gerudo Thieves himself had paid us a visit. Behind him was an army of creatures I remembered seeing from a long time ago. Three bublins, green creatures that wore shredded loincloths and leather helmets, glared at me with their beady red eyes and raised their bows.

Behind them were six bokoblins. They were even more grotesque than the bublins. These creatures were purple, like they spent time bathing in wine, and they were missing over half their teeth, and they showed me this fact as they bared them with rage. Hefting their clubs threateningly, the menaces shrieked out something I would probably never comprehend.

The King of Gerudo Thieves was the most terrifying thing of all. Though he was human, he still had the same evil eyes, the same lust for power that these creatures had, yet his was ten times more threatening. He had grayish-black skin, and he had lines of gold stretching down his hands, leading to his splintered fingernails. His hair reminded me of the dying red embers I saw when I watched my hearth fires extinguish. His eyebrows disappeared into his hairline, as did his beard. Though he was smiling, there was no warmth to it. It was either evil, or mockery, or glee, I couldn't be certain. All I knew was, I must defend the queen from this madness.

"You didn't expect me to come to the castle, did you?" he asked. His voice was paralyzing and I wanted to run from it. There was a rumor I had heard about evil. If someone had enough of it in his or her heart, then it would be evident. The voice was explained to me as _indescribable_. At first, I was wondering what kind of answer was that, but now I knew. This man had a voice of uncaringness. It was as though he could kill hundreds, no, _thousands_ , and laugh at the victims, at their weakness, their hopelessness. He could slaughter people as though blood was neither a surprise nor foreigner to him.

I knew right then; if given the chance, this man would have the Royal Family slain in the most painful way imaginable, he would do it and laugh in mockery of them. He would _enjoy_ seeing them gone. I couldn't let that happen. I just _couldn't_. I was ready right then to save Her Majesty from the wrath of this...this creature!

The Gerudo King stepped forward and I took a step back, but he just kept coming. I felt a tree come into contact with my back and I knew, I was trapped. Swallowing as much fear as I could, I readied my sword. Steeling my voice and nerves, I said, "What do you want?"

The question made him laugh, but it was not friendly. I regretted my words the second he answered. "I want to see Hyrule Castle in suffering. Its citizens shall be in suffering and ruled by fear. I want to see myself on that golden throne, ruling all the land, until there can be nothing seen that is not under my command. And most importantly, I want to see the Royal Family obliterated. I will not stop until every male, female, and child of their lineage is dead. I want to see the soldiers here destroyed, broken at their very roots. I will leave them to bleed to death."

I hesitated before answering. How... How could anyone be so evil? Swallowing my rising lunch I said, "Then I guess we cannot agree and you will not leave in peace, because I will die before I let that happen." I glanced at Her Majesty who was crying in fear, and in appreciation. She would have been dead by now if she'd stayed in the garden by herself.

The King of Thieves laughed again, and I shuddered. He noticed this apparently because he took another step forward, three feet from my face and spat, "Then I suppose I'll just kill you first, and then the woman."

 _Your Highness,_ I thought. _Please, please be able to hear me. When I yell now, no matter what the sentence or circumstance, run for the castle. Do not cry out for help until you reach the main court. The soldiers will see your face and help you. Do not return for me, but alert the king of this arrival. Tell him to ready everything to take this man down. I will come to help you in the end, so do not worry about me. I will survive._

 _Okay,_ I heard. I was surprised she actually knew my thoughts, but she kept her eyes trained on our enemy. Glancing right and left, I calculated how to get her out of this. If I could get all of these people's attention trained on me, making them think I have the queen I could lure them away from the palace door giving her enough time to lock it and hold them back, but the most important part was timing. I had to find a way to keep her from getting shot or clubbed and I had to make sure no one harmed her. I knew just how to do it.

I discovered I didn't need the queen to get everyone except Her Highness' attention on me. Ripping my sword from its sheath, I used my blade to slash at the King of Gerudo's face. He parried the attack easily, but it enraged him, especially since I used that time to run. The queen had snuck behind the tree out of the line of sight of everyone except me. I heard arrows being lit by blames and released in my direction.

I also felt a large powerful hand snatch me and lift me off the ground by my neck. I saw the Gerudo King glaring up at me as he lifted me high. I noticed the monsters weren't attacking me, but watching to see what their master would do. All eyes were off the queen and focused on me, so I began considering the sentence I was going to use to alert the queen. Before I got the chance to even consider it, a wave of poisonous energy radiated off of the Gerudo King's fist. It was power, pure, evil, and poisonous, and it filled my lungs, coating my throat. I could feel it beginning to burn through my near-lifeless body.

The Gerudo King spoke first. "Not so brave, are you boy?" He began to squeeze tighter and I could feel the air being crushed from my lungs, so I took my chance and said, "Better to die _now_ , than be forced to suffer later." I struggled to inhale, but no air met my lungs. My vision was quickly fading, but I caught sight of the queen as she quietly exited the garden. I didn't even hear the sound of her locking all of the mechanical devices in the door, nor did I hear her piling heavy objects against it.

The Gerudo King said, "I am Ganondorf, and I am not to be messed with. You have crossed the line boy. Now, let's see who is under that helmet." His other hand blocked my vision through my eyeholes and then tore off my helmet. My lip was bleeding, I was certain; I could feel the sliver of blood trickle down my chin. My eyes were beginning to close, so I used the last of my breath to whisper, "You fool." My eyes closed, but I felt myself being dropped.

I was still alive, barely. I was rapidly trying to intake air, no matter how painful. My throat screamed bloody murder, but I continued to breathe heavy breaths. I knew my esophagus had been cracked, but not crushed, hence, I was still able to inhale. I felt the ground tremble as Ganondorf turned to the castle door and search for the queen. He pounded on the door, trying to get it open. Storming back over to me, he tore his sword out of its sheath.

"I will make sure you _never_ breathe again," he roared. It was then that he heard the clinking of armor and he turned to watch an enormous black horse pounding the ground as it ran. It was covered from head to hoof in heavy armor that was spiked. It whinnied at me, urging me to get up.

"R-Run...Thunderblaze," I coughed. This was my favorite horse, and he was indeed loyal. He had been with me on my journey, and he was always chasing after me, even when I didn't call him. He never listened when I told him to leave, because he felt as though I were the Royal Family and it was his obligation to protect me. I knew he wasn't going to leave. He was too stubborn. If I died, he would too, and we both knew it.

Ganondorf rolled his eyes. "I don't have time for this!" He turned to one archer and one bokoblin and said, "Do with him as you wish. I have a castle to conquer." With that, he blew a conch horn and charged the door. With his bare hands, he broke it open, shattering it to splinters. Monsters that had been summoned when the conch was blown charged after him, pounding their way through the castle.

I suddenly felt pain sear its way through my body and concentrate in my ribs. A bublin had jumped into the air and cracked my ribs before readying an arrow to shoot me. Apparently, the bokoblin and bublin weren't too bright, because they didn't count on my horse being a factor. Thunderblaze killed the bublin with one powerful kick. He then proceeded to trampling the bokoblin before it got the chance to even scream.

I was still alive, which told me my duty was not fulfilled. Thunderblaze nuzzled my neck, urging me to rise. Taking a deep breath, I mustered my strength and fought my pain as I stagger-ed to my feet. I turned to my horse's saddle and pulled myself up. I knew I would never be able to make it to the top on foot before Ganon did. I also knew I didn't have the strength to run, let alone ride. But I had to try. I was going to die if it meant getting to the top of the castle.

"Ride free," I whispered to him. He took off running for the door out of the garden. I hefted my shield and put it on my back. Barely able to hold my sword, I wondered how I was going to be of any help. I pushed the thought out of my head, and continued to ride. I reached into my pocket and pulled out a fairy I had been saving for the right time. I uncorked the bottle and watched as it spun around me, sizing up how badly I was injured. It released a special mist that filled my lungs and helped my breathing become steadier, less painful, but it wasn't enough to clear the poison from my searing lungs.

I jumped off my horse at the last second, opening the tall door to the top of Hyrule Castle. The air was moist now, as if the castle knew something big was about to happen. The sunny weather I was enjoying earlier this morning had changed drastically, and lightning flashed in the distance. I ran up the stairs to the throne. It was empty, but that was only because the king and his soldiers were keeping Ganon at bay, and doing the best to stop his monsters. I noticed that the top of the palace was in ruins.

Usually, there were three women leaning against the giant Triforce sculpture, but the top of the Triforce had been ripped off, as had the sculptures. Body parts of the sculptures were scattered around the room. The head of Faerore, goddess of courage was crushing the king's throne. Nayru, the goddess of wisdom, had some difficulties with her dress and it lay in ruins before me. Going unnoticed, I decided to get closer. The only ones left in the room who were still alive were the king, queen, Ganondorf, one bokoblin, and three soldiers.

I heard the king pleading with Ganondorf to turn from evil, but he would not listen, he swept the king aside with the flat of his blade, obviously toying with him. I heard him say, "Who is there to stop me? Those three soldiers are no match for my power; neither are you or your queen. There is no hope left for Hyrule Castle! It is mine."

"There is a hope," I called, my breathing heavy. I staggered forward and stepped in front of the king, queen, and the three soldiers. "Because I am not dead yet, and I will fight to my last breath." I raised my quivering sword arm, but with all my armor, I knew I wasn't going to have the strength for long.

Ganon laughed at my misfortune. "Trying to play the hero, are you?" He held out his arm, signaling his last bokoblin to finish me. It charged forward, screaming in its shrill voice. It prepared to bash my skull in, so I sliced through its stomach. Purplish-red blood dripped to the ground and the monster cried out and fell to the ground. Without thinking, I leapt into the air and landed on the monster, stabbing through its heart and ending its life immediately. I glared up at Ganon and snarled.

He walked forward as though he owned the castle. I knew that if I challenged him like this, I would lose. The weight of my armor was unbearable, and with the poison slowly making its way to my lungs, I knew I would have to make a sacrifice to defend the Royal Family. I stripped off my armor, letting it clatter noisily to the floor. Underneath my armor I wore the hero's clothes. They were faded green, due to the fact that I had traversed the world and covered them in many substances, nearly bleaching their color.

I took out a hat from my pocket, along with my fingerless gloves and my single gauntlet which I strapped to my left arm. My hat reminded me of a windsock, but I never told anyone that, because I did enjoy wearing it. It came down to the bottom of my shoulder blades, and had stitching along part of the top, because I had ripped it on my last adventure. It also had the rip folded up and sewn so that the end of the fabric did not fray.

My outfit was known as "The Hero's Tunic" and I wore it proudly in the olden days. It came down to the section between my knees and my hips, and underneath it I wore a brown chainmail. Under that I wore pants that poofed out at the bottom as they reached my boots and were tucked in. My boots were brown and made of leather, rising up to my shins. My arms were covered in fabric that was melded with the chainmail and was hidden under my tunic's sleeves, disappearing beneath my gauntlets. The white undershirt's collar was folded over the neck of my tunic, but the outfit was not uncomfortable. It was relaxing, and it made me feel confident.

But I still knew I didn't have the strength to fight this guy alone.

I didn't want the king and queen to get hurt so I said, "Your Majesties, go and call for reinforcements to help you defeat him. I'll... I'll hold him off for as long as I can. Quickly!"

"No!" The king, my friend, declared. He had light blue eyes that sparkled when he was happy. He had dark blonde hair that supported his golden jewel-studded crown. He wore a long royal blue cloak that fell to his knees, and a royal robe. The white collar of his shirt was also folded over his outfit, and he too wore fingerless gloves, though his were for style, not protection. I couldn't let my determined friend get hurt. I had to defend him, no matter what. It was my duty, and my obligation. I would remain loyal to Hyrule, and to the Royal Family.

"I'll...be okay." My voice was shaky. The poison was spreading through me rapidly, though by doing the Ending Blow on that bokoblin, I had consequentially enabled the deadly mist to travel to my heart faster. Another effect of the poison was that it was making me doubt myself. I didn't believe my words, and that was evident. I knew right then, I was going to die, and I guessed the soldiers of Hyrule, the king and queen, and Ganondorf could tell that I was walking up to Death's door.

"Aww," he taunted. "It looks like the Hero has given up." He stood there, mocking me. Rising out his right hand, he beckoned me forward, ready to slay me.

I brandished my sword, fighting my screaming muscles that were being eaten away by the acidic poison, and I declared, "The Hero's soul died a long time ago when his journey ended. I am merely the empty shell he left behind." And with those words, I charged. Praying to Din, the goddess of power, I pleaded for strength. I also prayed to Nayru for wisdom and Fareore for courage. But I knew; this was the final battle I would have to endure.

I could hear Ganon laughing that cold, cruel laugh at me, but I quickly silenced it when I hit his chest with my shield, full force. I called my technique, the "Shield Attack". It was designed to break bone when it came in contact with the human body. Just because my shield was blunt didn't mean it wouldn't hurt when it slammed into Ganon. He coughed upon impact, giving me time to horizontally slice his stomach. He glowered at me, keeping himself from howling in pain. It was his turn to strike now.

I leapt back and felt him graze my chest. His sword was dripping with the poison I suffered from, but now I had to deal with the fact it was in my blood, instead of just my throat. I felt my energy being sapped and I decided the only way I was going to defeat Ganon was to get behind him and slash at his unguarded rear. Calling some of my strength, I leapt to the right just as he tried to decapitate me. I rolled and came up behind him. Pushing myself off the ground I slashed at his back and dragged my sword up his spine.

He reached around to grab me, but I was too quick. I bashed him in the side with my shield and leapt into the air, ignoring my aching muscles best I could. I barely missed the King of Gerudo Thieves' skull, and I grazed his shoulder. Now he had two things he was going to need to reach around to squeeze in order to stop the pain.

I watched his boot come around and this time, I didn't even have the strength to duck. I was kicked in the head and I felt my nose begin to bleed. Had he broken it? I wasn't sure. I did know that he had the advantage because I could barely get up. After performing the Ending Blow, Shield Attack, Back Slice, and Helm Splitter respectively, I didn't think I had the strength to get off the ground where I had fallen. The poison was taking its toll on me, and soon I wasn't going to be able to breathe. I coughed and struggled to get up.

I had three more tricks up my tunic, and I figured that since this guy had near-inhuman strength, I was going to need all three just to knock him out. I got to my feet and sheathed my sword, calling, "I surrender." Ganon drew closer to me, so I guessed he intended to kill me for getting in his way. As soon as I saw my chance to strike, I pulled my sword from its case and diagonally slashed at him. "And you fell for it," I told him.

I dashed behind a pillar and braced myself against it. My legs were shaking horrendously. I could feel the sweat drenching my face. I realized that, in order to pull off the final two moves I had in mind, I was going to need to lighten my weight. I could see Ganon cursing over his breath as he headed towards the pillar so, to buy myself a little more escape time; I raised my quivering sword arm to the sky and summoned a bolt of pure light. Electricity sparked in the sword. I swung my sword in Ganon's direction and the bolt of light flew off.

Ganondorf sliced at the irritating ball of light and it started heading back in my direction. I Shield Attacked and sent the orb back to its original target. It pierced his body and literally shocked him. He trembled and vibrated because of the electric light but he shrugged it off and kept coming.

I unstrapped my shield from my arm, hoping that I wouldn't need it again. I could see the King of Gerudo Thieves coming closer still, and I heard the shaking of the armored knights as they feared Ganondorf would overtake me. Concentrating best I could, I charged up energy in my sword. I saw the light reflect off the blade as I pulled it close to my chest.

"I'm ready!" I called.

"Too late!" Ganon snarled. He leapt forward to run me through, but I dragged my sword across the ground and then, with crushing force, slammed the blade against the ground, releasing a shockwave that threw my attacker off his feet. He managed to grab me though, and he pulled me closer, using me to cushion his fall. I felt him roll me over and rake his sword over my right eye. I cried out, but I didn't have any strength left to even touch my eye. I felt the blood drip down my face and heard the cry of the Hylian soldiers behind me. And the sobs of my queen rose to my ears. The angry shout of my king washed over me, reminding me that I had to continue.

I kicked Ganon off me with everything I had. He flew maybe three feet away but just kept coming. I used the last of my strength to get to my feet, only to realize I had nothing left. No energy. No battle spirit. No blood. It was all either eaten away by the acid, or it had leaked out of my eye. I knew that I had to do the Great Spin, for it was the only way to defeat the Gerudo king and restore peace to Hyrule Castle. But what did I have left to offer. I understood that the Great Spin required full energy and health to perform. I didn't have either.

But I did have my life. And it would be the only way to do this attack.

Pouring my soul into my sword, I charged the blade with everything I had left in my body. Ganon came closer, wondering what I was going to try to do this time. He seemed to think I was just bluffing, and that whatever I was trying I wouldn't accomplish. But I did. I waited until the King of Thieves was almost upon me before releasing the energy in my sword, spinning on one foot. I sliced through Ganon's stomach, this time drawing so much blood he was neither able to move nor escape.

The amount of pain that had been dealt to him when I slashed my sword was nearly unbearable, but the wave of flames that followed was the real reason he fell. One of the flames descended upon his eyes and put them out, and Ganondorf lost. No one, human or monster, could have withstood all of that damage, but for some reason he survived, and only lost his sight. Without their leader, the monsters and the Gerudos alike would not be able to take down the king, thus, Hyrule was safe... For now.

"You did it!" I heard the king shout triumphantly. I heard him come pounding over while his soldiers put Ganon in chains. I only managed to choke out these four words; "My duty...is done." I collapsed on the ground, drained of everything. The Great Spin had stolen my life, because that was all I had to give to prove I was worthy to use it. But at least I had saved Hyrule. With my job done, I felt my soul tear its way free from my body, and the Wielder of the Triforce of Courage...fell.


	2. The New Wielder of the Triforce

**A/N: Thank you to the person who reviewed this story! But, uh, one thing; this is a first-person story, so I can't exactly fix that. Sorry. Also, big thank you to my friend for allowing me to upload this here. Two little announcements: one, I do not own The Legend of Zelda, Nintendo, or any of its stuff...except a copy of the game, but that doesn't count! Secondly, the dialogue between Shade and Link has been slightly modified, but other than that, it is exactly like the game. Just thought I'd let y'all know. Anyway, enjoy!**

Chapter One

The New Wielder of the Triforce

I waited for him to come. After traversing the entire world, looking for something, I realized it merely did not exist. So I searched for _him_ instead. After years of seeking him out, I had finally found where he resided. He had awoken as the new hero, so I decided to have him prove his worth, and teach him what I had learned during my lifetime. But, I began to remember things from my past, the old days when it was my time to journey the world.

I was merely a lad at the time, no older that the current princess of Hyrule. I had silver hair, I remembered, and it would never stay down. It was fluffy, like a beast's fur, and I was always accused of having "hat hair". Of course, it wasn't my fault, and I had no idea how to rid myself of it. I had golden eyes, like a field of wheat. I was also very skillful, and able to use any object I spent the time trying to make. Looking back on it, I realize that I was just too subservient. But maybe that's a good thing

* * *

I was trembling with excitement. After spending two whole months working on this project, it was finally finished. I had, by my own will, and with my own hands, made a sword and shield. I made the shield to look like one I had seen in a dream. Mine was slightly larger, and I didn't have the right color of paint, so I painted it blue and red instead. The symbol of the Triforce was branded on my shield and it was outlined in metal, with circles at the points of the bottom triangles, but the top triangle's point was connected to the metal band that covered the shield's outline.

On either side of the Triforce, I had made a sort of E-shape, but this one had metal that curled back up to the top of the shield, but it did not touch the metal band. Beneath the Triforce was the symbol of Hyrule's red bird, and this one had its wings and tail spread wide, and its talons were either side of the tail. The head of the bird was facing up, as though it were looking to defend the Triforce. Small hooks of metal were under the bird's feet, not touching anything, and they were melded with the shield. The shield was blunt, but it would still hurt to be hit with, especially at full force. It took me three weeks to make the shield, due to the fact I had to find the right tools to make it with.

The sword was the real reason I had been there for two months. Spending five weeks working on something, taking twelve hours out of each day for just one project, was not really my idea of fun, but this sword was a special exception. When I was a boy, my father would tell me of a legendary sword that was stabbed into a stone pedestal. He would tell me of its exquisite beauty, though he had sworn he'd never seen it. I believed him of course, and tracked down the book in which he'd read of such a divine blade. Only going off the description of the author's words, I decided to try to make the sword.

It was definitely time consuming, and I felt like the work was never going to end. I had brought the book with me, at least what was left of it, and I read the description of the sword, over and over again, until my mouth went numb and my tongue felt dry, but I had memorized the words and could picture it in my head. I went about making the sword.

It had a handle that stretched eight inches, and it was orchid purple. It was wrapped in a grip of faded green fabric and formed diamond shapes where the grip did not cover. As it rose, it became rounded and had wings atop the rounded area. A yellow diamond-shaped stone glittered in between the wings, and, though most swords that have wings usually have them facing down, this one had them facing up, with two small spikes that pointed back towards the hand, but fell short of reaching it.

Two long lines of gold stretched down the blade for an inch and a half before branching off to the sides and disappearing. The sword also widened as the gold vanished, and branded into the metal was the symbol of the Triforce, with lines going either side of it. Then, as the Triforce ended, the blade narrowed back down and stayed the same width as it had started out with, for three and a half more feet before it came to a point. I also admired the fact that the blade was double-sided, unlike most of the swords in Hyrule.

Standing up, I noticed my horse cantering towards me. His long mane billowed in the wind then fell to his knees. His tail was even longer, and barely stayed off the ground. I had pulled it and then braided it, along with his mane so that he did not step on them and rip out his hair. He was a gelding, and was very tall, with intense, large, and seemingly all-knowing brown eyes. His hooves were hidden by his horse-feathers. He was all black except for the lightning bolt-shaped blaze he had on his forehead.

"Hey Thunder!" I called to him. He galloped over and nickered right in my ears, making them throb painfully, but I just laughed, because he then resorted to nipping my hair, as if straightening it. If it were possible, I'd say he was making it more fluffy than it already was. I showed him my sword and shield, and all the hard work I had put in it. He just snorted and kept playing with my hair.

I sighed and told him, "Cut it out," before I jumped onto his back and seized his reins. I put my sword and shield into his black saddle-bag and spurred him onward, heading for my home in Castle Town. I was very excited to finally be heading home, and even more excited to present my gift to the Royal Family. My parents had told me about the Royal Family declaring that whoever could make them an elegantly designed sword that actually worked would be allowed to have one wish granted, so long as it met standard requirements and it was within their power. The deadline to present them with the present was exactly one year, and I intended to present them with mine immediately.

I was just running along the plains of Kakariko when I noticed a strange black wall. It was between the bridge of Castle town, and the town itself. Pulling Thunder to a halt and forgetting all about my sword and shield, I leapt off my horse. I walked over to the wall, which shimmered like it was made of clouds and water. I was surprised to see that, when I approached, designs appeared on the wall, almost like writing. I was wondering what kind of language it was in when my horse reared up, frightened. I was about to run over to calm him, when suddenly, I felt myself get grabbed.

I looked down to see what had grabbed me and spotted a large black hand clutching my throat. Surprised, I struggled against it only to discover that it had a grip like iron. The hand tightened, and quickly tugged at me with such speed and force, my legs were lifted off the ground and I was torn through the wall, which now felt like it was made of water.

Thunder ran up to the wall and whinnied, trying to grab me. He lifted his front hooves off the ground and neighed, dashing back. I reached out for him longingly, but then my vision was obscured by the wall. This time though, I was on the other side, and I was not too pleased about that. I wrapped my hands around the creature's hand and started to pull, but my efforts were futile. I could feel my breath starting to escape, and I could feel the creature's breathing on my neck, but it was cold, like a sheet of metal had been pressed to my skin before disintegrating.

I noticed my left hand was glowing, and my birthmark, which had an uncanny resemblance to the Triforce, began to shine with a blinding light, piercing the semi-darkness around me. I heard the creature yell, before it threw me high into the air. I felt my body hit the dirt floor of the cave just outside of Castle Town, and I groaned in pain. Looking around me, I saw a blanket of low clouds and little squares floating around in the air, like embers from a flame.

I tried to get up, but my body wouldn't let me, so I crouched on all fours instead. I felt my heart pounding, and my entire body throbbed. My muscles screamed in agony, as did my mouth. I looked around at the world and saw it was changing colors to match the beating of my heart. First it was orange, purple, and yellow, with some white, but then it turned purple and black with a little grey. I lowered my head and felt the pounding of my heart from my toenails, all the way to the roots of my silver hair.

"AUGHGRRRL!" I howled before my vision faded and I blacked out. My head hit the ground and the last thing I remembered was feeling myself getting dragged over rough stairs.

* * *

I saw him approach me, standing tall, and towering over my form. He had dirty blonde hair and beastly blue eyes. He wore the Hero's Tunic, my tunic, in all of its former glory. It looked even more worn and faded on him, but it still seemed to compliment his figure somehow. The hat disappeared behind his long pointed ears and blue ring-shaped earrings. His hair was thick in front of his ears, and fell past his face. The right side of his hair rose up slightly before falling and hiding the base of his thick stretch of hair in front of his ears.

The left side of his hair rose up higher than the right, and a small portion of it covered his eye. The tunic came down a little further on him than it did on me, but that was fine. His boots also rose up higher, but strangely enough, the belts I had worn to hold on my sword and shield and my pouches fit him perfectly. He wasn't out of proportion, not in the least. I was staring at his left hand, with which he wore the gauntlet on, and I saw it, the Triforce of courage on his hand. Snarling with anger, I rose to my feet. My single red eye glowered at him from where I stood.

He was obviously surprised, but he drew his sword and tensed, waiting for me to strike first. I could understand why he was startled by my growling. After all, I was a golden wolf with white lines running down my sides that connected with my furry chest and the top of my head. My maw was filled with sharp teeth, and the canines were the most threatening. My claws were also fearsome, and I knew he was calculating how much they would hurt to be hit with.

 _Disappointing_ , I thought. The hero seemed to be afraid of me, and I wasn't too thrilled about that. Wielding the Triforce of Courage, he should not be afraid of me whatsoever, nor of the monsters he would have to face in the future. Seeing that he was so unprepared for the journeys to come, I leapt into the air, sank my fangs into the soft skin on his skull, and then pierced his bone. His eyes closed, and I knew I had him where I wanted him. I prepared to strike him while he was dazed, angry that the goddesses had sent a weak, cowardly, young man to save Hyrule, the land that I loved. But I couldn't do it; I couldn't end his life without first seeing if he had what it took to save Hyrule.

After all, I was dead, and he was alive. He had the opportunity to save it from its calamity, but I did not. I brought myself into the place in my mind where I had sent him to, and I waited for him to wake up. While he slept I took notice of his sword and shield. The sword was made of iron and steel, and the handle was bound in a red grip. The blade wasn't very fancy, but it was double-sided and looked incredibly sharp. I also took into account that he wasn't expecting to be bit on the head by a beast that should have been incapable of such a jump.

His shield was made of wood, and also had a wooden band around the edges to keep them from splintering. The symbol of goat horns and a goat nose were burned into the surface of the wood, along with two symmetrical patterns I couldn't identify. I understood when I saw the shield, this young man was not from Castle Town, unlike me. In fact, he wasn't even from Hyrule Proper: more like the small, yet also unclaimed province of Ordona, just on the outskirts of Hyrule.

I watched as he began to stir, and I backed up further behind him, waiting for him to fully come to his senses. He pulled himself to his feet and began to look around at where I'd brought him. Directly in front of him lay a stretch of trees, shrouded by fog, as were the rest of his surroundings. To his right lay an image of Gerudo Mesa, or Arbiter's Grounds. A little further behind him was Snowpeak, and directly behind him lay Hyrule Castle as I remembered it. To his left a tall volcano rose out of the fog and pierced the sky: Death Mountain.

He was obviously puzzled as to see all of these locations, and was probably wondering how he got in the midst of them all. Fog swirled around him, and he seemed to remember what had happened. He was still, listening to whatever sound might rise to his ears. He heard the sound of a wolf's breath; my breath. Then, he heard the sound change, and he turned, seeing a skeletal warrior standing behind him, instead of a golden beast.

My iron helmet was rusty, partially broken, and marred by overgrown vines. Now that I thought about it, my entire armor was scarred by the irritating plant. My shield, which was now covered in dirt and had some peeling paint, had the most noticeable overgrowth in the plant specimen. My robes at the bottom of my armor were torn and tattered, singed by flames. My dead body was transparent, but the scariest part about me was my face. It was no longer covered in skin; for all that remained of it was my skull. My single left eye was now nothing more than a ball of red energy, hovering in my empty eye-socket.

I raised my sword, which was the only thing not covered with vines, and I hefted my shield, waiting for the boy to approach me. He noticed the cracks in my sword, the way I held my shield, and I guessed he was calculating how to defeat me. He tensed and readied himself for a fight. Drawing closer to me, he leapt into the air and I raised my shield. His sword bounced harmlessly off the metal and I swung my long and deadly blade. He toppled to the ground.

"A sword wields no strength unless the hand who holds it has courage," I informed him in my hollow voice.

He pulled himself back up from the ground and faced me.

"You may be destined to become the hero of legend," I said, still very angry at his lack of strength. "But your current power would disgrace the proud green of the hero's tunic you wear."

He lowered his head and glowered at me, infuriated by my statement, but he waited for me to finish speaking.

"You must use your courage to seek power...and find it you must. Only then will you become the hero for whom this world despairs. If you do find true courage, and you wish to save Hyrule from the horrors it now faces..." I paused. "Then you will be worthy to receive the secrets I hold!"

He waited for me to teach him, and I could see in his eyes; he was determined. He had something to strive for, and I had the feeling he wasn't just accepting this for the sake of Hyrule. I decided, just by studying the look he gave me, that I was going to teach him, so I let him prepare himself.

"Enemies that are filled with energy will quickly recover and attack again even when stunned by a powerful strike," I declared. "The Ending Blow is a secret technique you can use on stunned enemies to end their breath before they spring back into action. When an enemy lies on the ground, stunned, be careful not to lose focus on him. Leap high into the air, still fixated on him, and deliver a final strike. When the opportunity to end their breath is before you, you will understand that the time is nigh, and you must destroy them. Now, try it on me!"

He understood, and slammed his blade against mine, ready to attack. I backed up, but he came at me. With a single blow, he knocked me a little ways away and waited for the perfect moment. He leapt into the air and sailed through it, letting the breeze blow his hair back. He stabbed through my already-shattered spine, then back-flipped off, ripping his sword through my holographic skin, landing on his feet with precision.

"Hmm," I thought aloud before saying, "that was a pinpoint strike. Never overlook your opportunity to finish an opponent with this technique. The first hidden skill, the Ending Blow, has been passed on!"

He nodded, then jumped high into the air before stabbing his blade through the ground and ripping it out as he back-flipped. He swung his sword to the right and left, before twirling it around as he sheathed it, letting the sound of metal on metal echo through the fog.

Killing his joy, I said, "There are still six hidden skills for you to learn. Those skills are only for the one who carries the blood of the hero...the one whose spirit is that of the sublime beast. Grow powerful. Test your courage. And when you find that you need another skill to overcome the threats that face you... Search for the statues that howl with the sound of the wind. Seek the sound that calls to the spirit of the beast to awaken me again."

He nodded, knowing I had more to say.

"A sword wields no strength unless the hand who holds it has courage," I repeated. "Remember those words... Farewell!"

The scenery suddenly changed. The fog disappeared and was replaced by tall, thick trees. The smell of the forest rose to both of our noses. The sound of leaves rustling in the wind, and trees swaying to its lullaby filled our ears. I watched him from behind, holding my breath so he did not notice me. He got to his feet and walked across a winding path towards the forest temple.

I released my breath and whispered only to myself, "In his current state, he will never become the hero of legend, and Hyrule will fall." I looked to the sky and cursed, wondering why I was not still alive to save my treasured home. I walked towards the trees, past Trill's shop. The bird looked at me in curiosity, perched upon his stick. He glanced at his large vats of red potion and lantern oil, if as though he were afraid I might steal them.

I continued onward. Throwing a howl into the air, I broke into fist-sized white squares, making Trill squawk in alarm as I was sucked up into the sky through the green and black portal.

 **A/N: I will not upload the next chapter here until I get at least one review for this chapter. I'm sorry, but I just don't want to feel like I'm talking to a non-responsive wall. Just one is all I want, alright? Alright...**


	3. The Girl in the Dungeon

**A/N: Thank you very much for reviewing this, The Shy Potato! (That name makes me laugh, haha! Awesome!) I'll try to upload it as often as I can for you, then. Let me know if the transitions are a little difficult to notice because I can change them. I make up stories for myself, but I write them for others, so anything you see that might need fixing, you can point out. Just be a little nice, alright? Mean comments make me mad, and then I lose my author cool, so then I can't write for a while. So anyway, I do not own Nintendo or The Legend of Zelda. Child Midna is an idea of mine, but being that she already is a Nintendo character, she still technically isn't mine. XD I may introduce some concepts here that you won't see in the game, but that's because I like the idea of them. Anyway, here's the chapter. Enjoy!**

Chapter Two

The Girl in the Dungeon

The second memory hit me so hard; I knew I was in for a shock. The world around me started to spin, and I did my best to keep from blacking out... But sometimes, the best I have just isn't good enough. I collapsed on the ground.

* * *

I slowly opened my eyes, taking in the dark world around me. At first, all I could see was little black shadows, then dots, then a colorless world. I was laying on the cold floor of a dungeon that had grey bricks for ground. Loose bricks were sticking out of the walls, but I doubted there was a large enough hole to escape from.

There were no lights, but there was a window. When I looked outside, little black squares danced in front of my eyes, so I tore my gaze away from the window. I looked to the door instead, which was covered in iron bars I lacked the means to open. I groaned and heard a strange sound emanate from my throat. Looking down at myself to see where I kept such a noise, I noticed my paws. I jumped back in surprise, only to run into the wall.

I was a beast with thick and shaggy fur the color of a silver rupee. Part of me, such as my paws and the thicker parts of my fur, was white. I searched around for a mirror, but I found none. Part of me sensed that I was a vicious silver wolf. However, some part of me contradicted my theory, saying that I wasn't silver at all, but my eyes said otherwise. I was about to have an all-out brawl with my thought process and tell my instincts that I was silver, when I heard a small voice.

"Hello?"

I turned my head to the wall which I had run into and listened, my ears twitching to receive even the tiniest of sounds, and I managed to hear the small breaths of a person in the cell next to me.

"Who's there?" the voice called again. It was different from anything I had ever heard. She didn't sound like she was saying 'hello', but something more along the lines of 'vey rei'. Based on how the voice sounded, I guessed it belonged to a small child, presumably a young girl. Due to the lack of strength in her pitch, she had probably been here a while without eating. To see who I was listening to, I used my nose to push out a loose brick, which clattered to the ground.

I peeked into the hole to see if anyone was there, and I found the child, if that's what she was. She had hair that fell to the bottom of her rib cage. It was collected into a silver clasp in front of her, and the hair that fell free from the clasp touched her belly button. She had large grey eyes that stared at me intently behind mascara and light grey eye shadow, and some of her hair stretched out in front of her ears. The top part of her face was black, but from an inch above her mouth and down, she had a white face.

Both of her arms were black, but white designs spanned her fingers. Her left leg was black, and her right was white. On both of her tiny feet and a little up her legs was more of the silvery-white designs but the odd thing about them, even though they covered her arms and a little of her legs, was that they hovered a little less of an inch off her body. On her right leg, the child wore a grey ankle-band that seemed a little big. She also wore a skirt that covered her left leg, and the rest of her body from the waist down, but there was a slit in the skirt that left her right leg exposed.

Over her chest she wore a long shirt that covered her front half, and went around to the back, falling a little past her rear. Her head was covered by a large hood that hid her ears and the top of her head. If it weren't for the fact that she was a child, she would have been gorgeous. The other disappointment about her was that she was covered in dirt. Her outfit, which was covered in the same designs as her skin, was streaked with dirt, grime, and something else; blood.

Upon closer inspection, I could tell the child had been hurt badly when she was tossed in here and locked up. Proving my theory, she had also been in here without eating for days, if not weeks. Her ribs protruded sharply from her chest, and her cheeks were beginning to sink. Her eyes were bloodshot, like she hadn't enjoyed a good night's sleep since she was thrown in here. Seeing her like that made me angry. Why would someone treat a child, even an odd-looking one like this, so harshly?

She had apparently seen me because she asked, "Who are you? Can you help me? Please?" Her words still sounded nothing like what I was interpreting them as, but I decided I might as well let the matter go. My silence made her beg again. "Please, help me out of here!"

I cocked my head in response, wondering how. I was in a prison cell too! Didn't she realize that? Even so, she was very weak, and I was probably the first living creature she'd seen for a while, so of course she would ask something like that of me. I felt compelled to help her though, and I would try to get her out, all I needed was to know how.

"P-please," she begged, tears tracing their way down her cheeks. "Help me. There is a way to escape your prison cell. Look for the soft dirt. You are a beast, so surely you must know how to dig!"

I righted my head. Though I said nothing, I promised her with my eyes I would help her. Turning to the iron bars that blocked my way, I noticed a suspicious pile of hay right next to the door. Going closer, I sniffed it and recoiled. It smelled _terrible_! I began gagging at the stench that reminded me of the stench of dead bodies. Holding my breath, I dug away the hay and revealed a pile of cool, damp earth and began to dig through that too.

I didn't realize how easy digging was as a beast, nor did I fully understand how fast I could rip through soft dirt. The only thing that told me I was finished digging was the fact that I was on the other side of the iron bars, a new pile of turned earth behind me. I pulled myself out of the hole and began to make my way to the child.

She had turned her head to look at me and she coughed. "Find the key," she commanded weakly. "Only then...can you let me out." She trembled with hunger and I turned and dashed down the corridor, beginning to look for the keys.

I never really realized how ugly, depressing, bleak, and boring a dungeon was, until I came to this one. If I ever had the option, I was never going to come here again! To either side of me was nothing but eroded brick walls that seemed damaged by water, but how? There was no water down here except the two inches my paws had to run through. The water was freezing and didn't feel even the least bit cleansing. There were brick paths and bridges I could run across that would get me out of the water, but I was too busy focused on finding the keys to the poor child's cell.

Chains hung from the ceiling, and passageways were barred next to the chains. Grey balls of energy were floating around, back and forth, and back and forth, almost as if they were pacing. I wondered what kind of sorcery was down here to make little grey fireballs float when I passed another prison cell that had a chain hanging from it. It was the first time I had noticed, but there were little monsters that looked like mops of hair that were jumping from chain to chain and slithering across pathways.

Some of the monsters stopped in front of the cell, jumped on the chain, and waited for their friends to join them. Four of the monsters slithered over to the one hanging from the ceiling and also leapt on its swing. The chain was weighed down, and the prison cell slid open, making the little monsters jump and scatter in multiple directions. I bared my teeth into a smile. Wasn't there a chain like that in front of the child's cell? Turning around, I dashed back to her.

She had been sitting in a pile of hay when I found her and when she heard me coming she turned her head weakly and said, "Well, did you find them?"

I looked to the heavy-duty chain that hung from the ceiling and I jumped. Sailing through the air, my body flew past the chain but my mouth automatically opened and caught hold of the rung, then, my teeth locked into place. Gravity did the rest: my body was pulled down and I thought my jaws were going to break with my weight, but they didn't and the chain was pulled down. The bars to the girl's prison cell slid up and disappeared through the ceiling.

 _Interesting,_ I thought.

The girl weakly got to her feet and approached me. I released my grip on the chain with much effort and fell on my back on the ground, making the little girl giggle. It was a strange sound that sounded like "Hee, hee, hee," but it was high-pitched and playful.

"Thank you," the girl said to me as she grabbed onto my fur to keep herself from falling. "Say, I hope you don't mind me asking, but can you get me out of here, I barely have the strength to walk and I fear I'm not going to make it very far. Oh golden beast, please!"

 _Gold?_ I wondered. Did this girl have it wrong? Wasn't I silver? Part of my mind said snidely to the rest of my brain, _told ya,_ while the rest of me began to understand. I was a beast, and beasts saw in black and white, hence the reason the entire prison seemed a bleak grey and all of the monsters had grey symbols stretching across black skin.

"Will you help me?" the child asked again. Her eyes stared into mine, not as a challenge, but as a way to have some contact with me and to plead to my very soul. I couldn't help but sigh and give in. I knew she would have to find some way to go from place to place, and the only way to do that without walking was to ride. I laid down and waited patiently.

"Thank you," she said in her small voice. She giggled again and crawled onto my back, using my fur to pull her tiny body up. As soon as she was finished climbing, I stood and heard her ask a question.

"What's your name?"

 _"Hero's Shade,"_ I said through a series of near-silent barks, doubting that she could understand.

"That's too long for me to say all the time," she said, "so I'll just call you Shade. I'm Midna by the way."

I was startled that she could understand, but I paid it little mind and just decided to walk. I wondered if she understood that my father had named me Hero and my mother named me Shade, so I became Hero's Shade due to the fact they would never stop arguing about names before I was born. She probably didn't know, and I was in no mood to explain it to her. Right now, all I wanted was to get out of there.

I made sure she hung on tight as I bounded away from the cell, and back to the room with the water damage. I heard Midna laugh on my back, as though she was going to tell me something but wait for my permission.

 _"Speak,"_ I commanded.

"Shade," she said. She pointed to a floating orb of fire and said, "Do you see the faded green fireballs? Perhaps you may want to take a closer look."

I leapt onto one of the pathways and examined a fireball, concentrating hard. It vanished and was replaced by a soldier who carried a spear. He was pacing back and forth, completely oblivious to me and the monsters that wandered around in the dungeon.

"Wow," I heard Midna say. "It's a soldier. Eee, hee, hee, I don't think he can see us. I also think he hasn't seen the monsters because of how they're sneaking around. Well, even though he can't see us, that doesn't mean the Twilight Rats can't. Be wary as you run through here and make sure nothing sees you. If we're caught, you're going to need to fight."

I stalked silently around a pit full of the Twilight Rat creatures and continued my trek through the dungeon, only to hear Midna giggle again. Instead of speaking, she pointed to a staircase far in front of me, blocked by strange creatures. I began to walk to it slowly, making sure they couldn't see me, when Midna spoke.

"I may not know of the names of these creatures that dwell here, but I do know that _those_ are the Twilight Messengers, and they are blind and deaf. However, they _can_ sense you due to the amount of heat you radiate. If you come within the line of their crawling, they will feel the temperature change and they will indeed attack you in order to remove you from existence. Also, I heard that these monsters do something horrible if you leave only one of them standing. So, when you get close to them, stand in the center of their group and I will help you from there. In my weak state, I may not be able to do much, but I will try my best."

I trotted forward and approached the monsters that looked very strange. There were three of them, and they all looked exactly the same; flattened shield-shaped metal for faces, big gnarled hands with fat fingers missing their fingernails, large ribbon-like tentacles sprouting from the top of their spines, and long humanoid legs that they crawled around on instead walking upon. There were symbols that swirled and stretched around on their arms, legs, and back, but unlike Midna's, these symbols appeared to be imprinted upon their ugly leathery bodies.

As soon as I stepped into the center of the monster group, peg-like spikes fell from out of nowhere and slammed into the ground. Greyish-black patterns like the ones on the monsters shimmered into existence and formed a barrier, trapping me and Midna inside the circle. All of the monsters directed their attention on us, apparently sensing the heat waves I radiated. Midna giggled, trying to tell me something, and I listened.

"Concentrate on them, Shade. Focus on them as though you can jump straight through them, no matter how mean, tough, or smelly they are. Pretend your gaze can go nowhere else. When I turn your head, turn your body the same way and we can defeat them together!" she informed me.

Doing as I was told, I concentrated; pretending there was nothing in the whole of Hyrule except for me and the monster to my left. I was barely aware of a weak hand raising high above my head, because I was so focused on the monster.

"Now Shade!" I heard Midna call, but to my ears, she sounded like she was whispering. I did as I heard her voice tell me and I leapt forward. I wasn't certain if I was supposed to rip through the monster's heart or if I should just knock it over. I did the second option and pushed the monster to the ground, crushing it under my weight. I felt my head turn quickly and a new monster came into focus. I jumped forward the second I saw the monster and I knocked it over as well. Midna turned my head again and this time, the third monster came into view.

I jumped before it had the time to do something horrible to me or Midna, and this time, instead of just knocking it over, I ripped something out of its chest and it stood on its hind legs as I came into contact with it. I heard it cry out and collapse to the ground. I clamped my jaws shut over whatever I had taken from it and black liquid that was thick as molasses dripped from my mouth; blood. I had just crushed the monster's heart in my teeth and made it explode, but the odd thing was, I wasn't terrified at what I had done, nor was I even the least bit bothered. It had tried to kill me, so I ended its breath.

I turned to survey the damage I had done, and I was just in time to see the creatures explode into symbols which flew through a vent in the roof and out of the dungeon. The spikes that penned us in vanished and, since the danger was gone and my adrenaline had drained, I began to pant.

"Well done, Shade," I heard Midna say from my back. Since I bothered to listen, I could hear her panting. I wondered why, as it had been me who destroyed the monsters. Maybe hanging on to my fur had taken its toll on her and she needed a rest. I decided the best place to stop was probably when we could get a vantage point of where we were. Dashing up the stairs, we were on our way again.

When we climbed to the top, we heard the sound of stones falling to the ground. I gave a glance behind myself and saw our way get blocked by a stone wall. When the dust cleared, it looked as if the wall had been there all along and I groaned.

"Good thing we shouldn't need to get back," I heard Midna breathe from on top of me.

 _"Right,"_ I agreed. We continued to move and I noticed another prison cell. This one also had loose dirt and bent iron bars. Instead of being hidden by hay however, the hole was blocked on the other side by a wooden crate with broken wooden slats. I passed by the cage and then came to one with an open door. Another iron chain hung from the ceiling and there was a barred passageway beside me. I heard Midna giggle on my back.

"Hey Shade," she said. "Do you think you could grab onto the chain again and open the tunnel?"

I obliged and leapt into the air. Midna held on tight to my thick fur as my teeth locked and gravity tried to reclaim me as its own. Instead, the chain was pulled and the iron bars slid open, allowing us passage through the tunnel. I ran through it and turned a corner.

I noticed another ball of energy floating around and Midna asked me, "Do you think you can understand what they're saying, Shade?" I twitched my ears ever so slightly and listened.

"...so many monsters in this dungeon. Honestly; we've got so many monsters and so many broken prisons beyond this point and I don't even want to know how many other guards are being sent to fix them and slay the monsters. I hope I get to stay right here and pace; it's so much safer than anywhere else. But truthfully, I just want to go home to my wife and children."

I allowed myself a small whine of pity for the soldier. He was probably terrified but he was still doing his duty to Hyrule and serving in the dungeon. But why didn't he just go and leave? Was there a monster beyond his little pedestal of joy? If so, due to the fact no soldiers were heading that way meant that the monster was probably bad news.

I decided it was best to move on before I lost my courage and paced back and forth with the soldier for eternity. I leapt off the pedestal and into a foot of freezing dirty water that made my paws grow numb. I bit back any curses I might have for the water and kept walking. Midna had grown bored so she yawned and began to snore softly. I paid her little attention and kept walking. So far, I hadn't spotted any monsters since I'd seen that soldier so I jumped up and caught hold of a chain from the ceiling, wondering what it would do. Big mistake.

Water flooded the room and I yelped, letting go of the chain and falling right in. Apparently, the water was let in through a draining system that was intricately designed. I didn't have the time to examine it because I had to concentrate on keeping my head afloat. It was the first time in my life I actually _needed_ to dog-paddle. I didn't like the experience so I pulled myself up onto a pathway and shook off the freezing water. I was still standing in the cold liquid, but now, I was only standing in four inches of it.

I heard Midna giggle as I neared the end of the pathway. I looked at her waiting for her words of wisdom in this place.

"Shade," she said pointing to the water. "Are those spikes on the ground? Maybe it's a good thing you filled the room with water because now you only need to swim over them instead of run." She turned her head and said, "Do you see the strange Twilight Rat creatures? See how they swim fast by jumping? Maybe you could do that to get yourself farther, faster. Also, you may save energy."

I looked to see what she was staring at and I saw the mops of seaweed-like creatures jumping in the water to speed up. Imitating them, I leapt into the water and began to dog-paddle. Jumping for a burst of speed, I realized how hard it was. I spluttered as water filled my nose. I then swam over the spikes that glistened on the floor of the room. I pulled myself up onto a ledge and coughed. Shaking my fur, I continued running.

I heard Midna giggle again and she pointed to the left of a two-way corridor. "Look Shade," she said. "Can you see the ledge with the chain and the water drain that's open? Maybe if you pull the chain, the slab will close in the other room and this room will be drained."

I swam to the left of the room and hopped onto the ledge. Turning to the chain, I sailed flawlessly through the air and caught the chain in my mouth. I still wasn't used to the pain that came when gravity took hold of my body and my jaw was nearly opened, but I did like the feeling of the chain when it was yanked down a bit. I let go of the chain and watched the draining system close. All the water was stopped from being let into the room and was drained out, leaving me with a foot of water again.

I snorted my displeasure at the water that remained but I decided I had to deal with it. I leapt off my ledge and headed forward. I was still bothered by the fact that me and Midna had only seen one monster since we left the guard's presence, even though I sensed we should have seen a lot more. Were they on lunch break or something? I shook my head at the ridiculousness of that thought and continued running through the room.

I noticed a large one-foot circular hole in the wall and, before Midna could giggle again, I crawled through it and saw her duck. She waited for me to finish crawling before she sat back up and noticed the pair of metal boots and gloves laying on the ground, along with a pool of blood.

"Shade..." Midna's voice was shaking dangerously. She whispered, "What kind of creature could carry off a soldier and make him leave such a puddle of juices behind?"

 _"I don't know,"_ I responded, my heart pounding. Whatever it was, I didn't want to meet it. I turned my head and noticed a spiral staircase that lead up to the roof. Midna saw it too and didn't say anything. She knew I could see it and she was going to let me figure out how to get there myself.

I began to run up the stairs and, looking down at the bottom of the room, I could see it was filled with water if I fell. Making sure I didn't, I continued to run up the stairs, ignoring the trail of blood and shredded metal. My stomach was churning and I thought I was going to throw up. I was fine with killing monsters, but humans? No. I couldn't kill another human being but I would punish one. I didn't think I could actually _kill_ one.

I made it to the top of the stairs where the trail of blood and armor ended when I felt a chill travel up my spine.

 _"Midna, be on your guard,"_ I told her. The ground started to tremble and I crouched, waiting to see just what kind of creature had killed that soldier. I watched a large wooden door be thrown open and an enormous black object sailed through it, breaking the stairs that led up to the door on its way.

My eyes opened wide and I barely had time to howl, _"What is that?!"_ before the large creature slammed me aside with a huge wing and sent me tumbling back down the stairs with such force I should have broken my neck. My body rolled off the stairs and I heard Midna scream in alarm "SHADE!" Then, my body plummeted to the water twenty feet below and I closed my eyes upon impact, expecting never to open them again.

 **A/N: Oh the cruelties. Cliffhangers are evil...I love them!**


	4. The Giant Twilight Kargarok

**A/N: I do not own The Legend of Zelda or Nintendo.**

Chapter Three

The Giant Twilight Kargarok

I opened my eyes weakly and whimpered. Upon hitting the water, I had blacked out. I didn't know how long I had been asleep, but I was certain it was only a few seconds. I heard Midna breathing heavily so I glanced at my back. Her eyes were barely open and she whispered, "That is a Twilight Kargarok, and the biggest I have ever seen. I...I'm not sure how to defeat it. Good luck, Shade." She closed her eyes and slept a fitful sleep. She was still breathing, which was good, but the fall had probably taken a lot of her energy.

I dragged myself out of the water and onto the staircase. I saw the kargarok heading my way so I leapt into the air and began dashing up the stairs. I saw the kargarok's talons slash through part of the staircase and stone crumbled into the water. I looked at the bird and snarled.

It was very strange looking. It had a head that widened as it neared the end then it looked like it had been blown open and formed a strange-looking funnel shape. It had no arms, only giant leathery wings that weren't extended all the way, due to the fact that it was in a contained area. Its wings looked like they had been torn, but I guessed that they were meant to be like that. The kargarok had large talons for feet and it could probably lift me in one foot and throw me. That didn't sound too good.

 _Note to self;_ I thought, _stay away from Demon Bird's feet._ I leapt onto its leg and bit at it. It shrieked in pain, its voice sounding like a loud trumpet being blown by an amateur. I felt it kick me forward and I landed past the broken part of the staircase. The kargarok tried to stab me with its claw-like talons but it missed and hit another two parts of the staircase which I had just finished running up.

I dashed up the stairs and watched as the kargarok broke some above me, intending to crush me under tons of stone and brick. I jumped on top of the pile and then jumped onto the broken stairs, dragging myself up and hoping that Midna didn't fall from my back. I continued running up the stairs and watched as the demon bird dragged its foot across the steps and broke them all the way to directly across from where I stood. I leapt onto its leg and resumed biting it. The kargarok threw me into a wall and I landed on the staircase I had been trying to get to.

It flew up higher and began destroying the stairs so I couldn't follow it. I dashed up and got to where I was as high as its head before I leapt onto it to reach the next range of stairs. I heard Midna groan and then felt her flinch at our height.

"Shade," she said. "Bite its head and crush its skull!"

I did as I was told and I bit the bird so hard it began to fall. I then leapt from its back and onto the remains of the stairs, and I turned to watch the kargarok's wings break a little more off the stairs before it hit the ground. It landed in the water and exploded. Something went flying onto the stairs and I yelped. Midna giggled and leaned over to pick it up.

"It's just a heart container silly," she said. "It carries life energy so that, if you get hit, it will immediately spring into action and keep you from dying. If you're hit again hard enough, _then_ you'll die!" She giggled again and then sighed, relaxing her body and waiting for me to do something. I turned to the bottom door the kargarok had thrown open and I exited the dungeon, happy to escape.

As soon as I stepped outside, all of the adrenaline I had worked up drained and I began panting. I heard Midna as she said, "My, aren't the purple, orange, and black clouds of the twilight just gorgeous today? I wonder how long they've been here..." She slumped against my back and then whispered into my ear, "Find the highest area of this place so I can figure out where we are and maybe we can get out of here."

I looked forward. Silver and black clouds danced before my colorblind eyes and I longed to see the world as Midna could. I sniffed the air and then the bricks at my feet. We were standing atop a very high place with crumbling ground and broken railing. I noticed more kargaroks soaring through the sky but none were as big as the beast I had just slain. Some of the evil monsters were perched along the roof and seeking out their next meal. I chose to ignore them for the moment and continue scouting out the new area I had just entered.

Flags bearing the symbol of Hyrule, a bird with spread wings hovering in front of the Triforce, had been shredded by claws and now stood like ugly spikes that pierced the high skies. Far in front of me was a little soldier shivering behind a crate, muttering something to himself. I stealthily snuck out of the door and stole over to him. He was saying something like, "Monsters... Must protect...Hyrule...from these infernal beasts... Just so...afraid... When will...we ever see...the light of day...?"

 _So I'm still in Hyrule,_ I thought. _But where...?_

I heard Midna giggle on my back and I turned my head to listen to her as she said, "It looks like there are even soldiers up here too, Shade. I wonder where we could be... Do you know? Eee, hee, hee!"

 _"I need to continue my analysis of this place,"_ I informed her. _"And you would do best in life to follow my example. As for where we are, I get the feeling we are incredibly close to Castle Town, my home. I would need an eagle's-eye view to fully realize where we are. Perhaps entering a new room would be best, so we can get out of the chilly air and find a way to spot Castle town. Then I can learn where we are."_

"Do whatever you want," Midna said. "Once you tell me where we are, I can get us out of here."

I dashed forward and heard Midna squeak before she clutched my fur. I leapt over a crate, launching onto a balcony overlooking the entire location. I didn't understand the view as it seemingly led to nothingness, but I passed it by. I jumped onto a rickety old bridge and leapt off onto an entire collection of buildings. My paws skittered on the wooden slats along the roof but I somehow managed to keep from slipping off. I pulled myself to the peak of the buildings and began running along one of them. A kargarok spotted me and called all of its little evil buddies and started chasing me.

Midna smacked one in the head with something large and silvery. I paid her little attention as I pulled myself onto a ledge and dashed into a window, not realizing how big of a drop it was to the spiral staircase. I chose to ascend the stairs, still looking for a room with a view of our surroundings. I saw two large iron doors and noticed that one was slightly ajar, so I poked my head inside.

The first thing I noticed was the window that had a small metal-braced chair next to it. The window led to a balcony, and to the right of the room was a fireplace. To the left was a four-posted bed with white linen sheets and a bedside table. A fat book was upon the table and the floor of the entire room was that of brick, as were the walls.

The second thing I noticed was the figure by the window. They wore a long black cloak that enveloped their entire body. Their face was hidden behind the hood of their cloak, but I could still see the tears glimmering down this person's cheeks. Their fingertips peeked out from the bottom of the sleeves, but they were hidden by thick gloves that were probably very hot. The person also wore boots with steel toes and metal soles. The person had yet to notice me, but I got the feeling that, even if they indeed spotted me, they would not be all too frightened.

"Tell me proud beast," I heard the figure say without turning his head or even looking at me. His voice was choked, like he was in mourning for something. "Do you see the sad state of distress Hyrule is in?"

Cocking my head to the side, I walked over and joined him by the window. Midna eyed him suspiciously, but she said nothing as she knew he was addressing me and me alone. She didn't even giggle to consult me privately. But I knew she was wondering; how could this person still be human and still know I was there if everyone else was a spirit?

The figure moved his cloaked hand toward the window and pointed outside. The clouds of twilight drifted lazily by, almost as if there was no point to the world. I wondered why the clouds were still there, and why it was still twilight. Surely by now the sun would have gone down and we would have been plunged into the darkness of night. I knew the figure wanted me to examine the outside more closely, like he was expecting something exciting to happen when I understood where I was or what had happened.

"Tell me, oh proud beast, what do you see when you look outside?"

I turned my attention from him to back out the window and attempted to look past the clouds and back to the ground. I managed to ignore the existence of the fluffy clouds and saw the ground far below, almost as if I was only twenty or thirty feet in the air. Down below, spirits floated around in a hurry. Some were slow, while others were quite fast and they carried objects as they ran. I noticed a few buildings and I saw lots of shops clustered together. When I concentrated harder, I could see the people whom the spirits were, and I could also see that the shops were quite crowded.

I saw a fountain with multitudes of tiers, like a cake, and I noticed a group of children tossing in rupees, Hyrule's currency, for good luck. People sang and were admired by others, and I spied someone in the window of a shop making a dress and fitting it on someone else. I spotted cats mewing at people, begging for food, while they were ignored and passed by as though they didn't exist. Dogs carried sticks or bones back to children who threw them to watch the pets' reactions.

I knew this place; I grew up here long enough to know where we were. We were inside Hyrule Castle, the place I'd spent my whole life dreaming about, and the city we were overlooking was Castle Town, my home. When I turned and looked at the figure, I knew who he was.

 _"What do you require, for I will serve you,"_ I said. _"...My king."_

He threw back his hood and revealed his emerald green eyes, which shone brightly, but my eyes refused to see their brilliance. I also knew that his hair was light brown, the color of wood, but my eyes were colorblind, and I had to rely on what I had seen before when walked through Castle Town to encourage the people. He was young, maybe a year older than me but he still had a small amount of facial hair. He had a smooth and tame mustache that led to his soft and short beard which connected to his sideburns. Under his cloak of mourning he wore blue armor, but to me, it was silvery-grey.

I saw that his breastplate that was decorated with designs and banded with metal lacing. The insignia of the Triforce was on his outfit, but instead of having the large red bird, he merely had a shield-like design on his outfit.

Midna nearly fell off my back in shock as she realized who this was. She then righted herself and snorted, saying, "Whoa, wait! Explain please. Who are you, and where are we? Why are you up here in the first place? If you're the king, why are you in this scummy tower?!"

He turned to her, and allowed her to examine him more closely. He didn't seem bothered by her comments, even though they were slightly disrespectful. He probably attributed her words to the fact that she was still young, or maybe he just was too upset about other things that her statement did nothing more to harm him. Any of the options were likely; after all, the king's emotions were hard to read.

"I am Daphnes Nohensen Hyrule, King of Hyrule," he said, though his words were hollow and his voice was sad. "To answer your other questions child, you are in Hyrule Castle, the place my father passed down to me and left me with the message to unite the lands under peace treaties. I am here because I am a hindrance to evil and I am the only thing that can overthrow it, or that's how it sees me I suppose. And I am waiting for it to do away with me."

 _"Allow me to aid you my king. I_ _will do my best to free you from this dark tower,"_ I said, wondering if he could understand me.

"Child," Daphnes said, "Soon the guard will arrive as it is his duty to check on me every hour. I can only foresee trouble if you and your beast are discovered. Because of this, I advise you to seek out the Light Spirit Lanayru's protection, for he will aid you. But I will warn you of this; in his current state, Lanayru cannot help you. Nonetheless, it is in your favor to search for him. If you leave now, perhaps you can save his essence before it is too late.

"May the goddesses bless you and keep you safe." He concentrated, as though he were waiting. I cocked my head to the side, wondering what he was doing. I blinked once and when I opened my eyes, I was in a different area. This place was filled with people who were running around and ignoring everyone else. People yelled loudly and Midna covered her ears. Children chased after the dogs to try and re-obtain their shoes. Cats hissed at the kids in mockery before running away from angry parents.

All in all, the place was very busy, and very different from the dark tower I was in a microsecond ago. I blinked a few times, wondering if I had missed something important, but my mind just wouldn't tell me what happened. I blinked again, expecting to teleport once more, but nothing happened, so I sat down and began to collect my thoughts.

I heard Midna say, "Shade, I know this is a lot to ask, but please; may I have your help to find this Lanayru character? I can't make the journey myself…"

I thought about that for a moment. If I left Midna now, then there would be no way I could forgive myself. Midna would probably be overcome by monsters on the way there. I didn't want to think about what would happen if the monsters got ahold of her. She would most likely be killed, and I didn't want to dwell on that.

 _"I will help you,"_ I informed her.

"Thank you Shade," she replied. "Do you know who or where Lanayru is?"

I pondered that for a moment before remembering how tired I was. _"Before we leave,"_ I told her, _"I want to get some rest, so we will go sleep in one of the houses and when we wake up, we will eat. Then we will depart for Lanayru."_

"Okay," she said. "I'm tired and hungry anyway, so it's probably for the best." She slumped against the furry scruff of my neck and allowed me to walk past the souls of all the people, heading for one destination.

When my eyes finally opened, I heard howling. The notes were pretty simple to howl, but anyone not familiar with them would have no clue what was happening. I listened to the high howl, which then became lower in pitch before going even lower. Each of the three notes were of equal length and repeated so the pattern was; high pitch, medium pitch, low pitch, and then high, medium, and back to low.

 _He requires my help,_ I thought. Swallowing back my anger that he was still alive, I myself howled. I closed my eyes as I became little white squares again and when I opened my eyes, I was in a different location.

I sat on a rock suspended in midair, and below me lay thousands of trees shrouded in fog. A single tree stood on the ground beside my rock, so tall that it came up to my floating perch. Far in front of me was Death Mountain, and lava was dripping from the opening of the volcano. Hyrule Castle stood tall to the northeast of me, with a cloud of fog at its base, and behind it was Snowpeak Mountain, still completely covered in snow. Directly to the right of me was the prison lands of Gerudo Mesa; the place that I hated with all my heart because of Ganondorf. A roof of sand-colored fog sealed the prison like a corked bottle. To my left were more trees standing atop a hill, and beyond them lay Lake Hylia, which was hidden from my view by a mixture of trees and fog.

For the first time I noticed another floating rock that was in front of me, but lower. I watched as the air shimmered and another wolf materialized. He glanced to the left and right before he turned and noticed my rock, illuminated by the quarter moon behind me. The wolf was black with a white underside and paws, along with some white on his legs. His eyes were blue and even from there I could see his pierced ears. Part of his face had white markings on it, forming a broken diamond with a white dot in the center, and a white, jagged lined that ran down the top of his snout. Two white lines of fur came just above his eyes and lead to his ears. Beside the tip of the lines near his eyes were two white dots. On his left paw was an iron chain which was snapped at one of the links. It was the boy from before, who was now a sublime beast.

He seemed to realize that I was waiting so he threw back his head and howled the first note. Then he dropped his head just a bit before howling the second note. When he howled the third, he lowered his head once more and flattened his ears against his head. He repeated this once more before he began to listen to his song. Strangely enough, when he listened to his song, the pattern was; up, middle, down, up, middle, down, up, middle, down, middle, down, up. The first eight notes were of equal length, but the next three were faster. The final note was the longest and loudest, but he hadn't even sang those notes.

Then I realized that I was singing back to him. He had stirred my inner memories and reminded me that this was the song I used to call Thunderblaze. Back when I sang this song, I sang it to the fullest, and I was singing it to the fullest once more. I sang back two more high notes, much higher than they should have been. I watched him stand up as the song finished and he turned in a circle before facing me; waiting form my words of wisdom.

Because I still disliked the fact that he was the new hero, I decided that he was going to have to wait to learn my next skill, and that I was not going to teach him anything while he was a wolf. Maybe if I showed the goddesses that I hated him they would switch him out with someone else: someone more qualified.

" _Let teachings of old pass to you…"_ I told him. _"Take sword in hand and find me…"_ With those words I jumped off the rock and disappeared into the trees, feeling smug about the surprised look on his face. When I landed on the ground I looked up and closed my eyes. I felt his presence fade so I howled once more; warping out of there and to the next place I was certain I'd see him.

But memories follow me everywhere…


End file.
